To the editor:

I read with considerable interest the front-page article regarding the Student Health Center on April 13.

If any student, staff, employee or visitor presents with an injury or illness requiring urgent or emergent treatment, the medical personnel at the Health Center will do everything to give appropriate treatment.

In each case, the decision to treat and discharge (with adequate follow-up arranged) or to stabilize and arrange for transport to a more appropriate facility, depends on the injury, the type of medical providers and the scope of treatment available at that establishment. This procedure is followed by all medical facilities.

In the incident covered by the Daily, Ms. Stotts was evaluated by medical staff and an appropriate triage decision was made. The wound was judged to be neither life threatening nor needing emergent treatment.

She was given an ice pack to help stop the bleeding, and she was advised to seek further treatment at the office of Occupational Medicine on campus.

Regarding Professor Emmerson’s recollection of his injury and treatment: It is true that his laceration was repaired and he was allowed to return for further follow-up for that injury. However, in his case, the provider made the triage decision that the injury was sufficiently serious to warrant urgent treatment.

To compare the recent incident with Prof. Emmerson’s experience is unfair. I realize the sight of blood is upsetting, however, the triage nurse at that time, Shirley Sjobakken R.N., who has almost 30 years of experience as a registered nurse, and two other registered nurses evaluated the wound and determined the level of care needed and provided that care.

As our director, James Nelson, has explained, the Student Health Center was established for and is funded by students. They are our primary concern. However, we will never refuse emergency treatment to anyone. A more important issue than money is time. The time involved providing non-emergency care to people who are not students takes away from the time available to respond to student needs. And yes, the Student Health Center was busy the day the incident in question occurred.

Malhar S. Gor‚ M.D.

Chief of staff

Student Health Center